One Week 'Til Rus Rus!

Today is Friday February 8th. That means one week until I hop the plane for Rus Rus Honduras. I'm getting very excited and I can't believe it's only one week away now! The guest bed at our house is covered with the things I have gathered for the trip. Next week I'll work on getting all those things into a suitcase of 50lbs or less and a back pack. I'll also hand carry a box with some airplane parts for our missionary plane in Rus Rus. They are rather fragile parts so they are bubble wrapped and boxed for the trip rather than packed in luggage. Hopefully the security and customs folks will know the difference between airplane parts and bomb parts! Those "in the know" tell me it won't be an issue so I trust their experience. After all, I've seen airplane engines arrive at MMS taken apart to their smallest pieces and packed in carry on luggage! Ha! Why should I question????

Gathering things to pack

Suddenly my trip to Rus Rus seemed very close when last Sunday it was time to take my first dose of Chloroquine. Malaria meds start 2 weeks before you leave so you know if you have any side effects before you go. None for me Yeah! I've named it "Chlorquine Sunday" to help me remember that if it's the day I'm going to church then it's the day to take Chloroquine. I wonder what church in the jungle will be like? I'm anxious to find out!

It's been fun getting copies of emails that are going around from the medical team that is heading to Rus Rus while I'm there. I guess it would really be more accurate to say I am going while THEY are there! Anyway, everyone sounds very friendly. Some have been to Rus Rus before on medical trips. Some are literally world travelers others like myself have traveled little. A couple were missionary kids. All have a desire to help those in need. Some know Spanish others not. BTW, knowing Spanish may be of some help along the way but the local population in La Moskitia (the larger area around Rus Rus) have their own Moskito language (I know you are thinking it....the language should have a high pitched, annoying, humming sound in your ear, right? Ha!). Many know at least some Spanish as a second language but others don't. At times we will have interpretation in the clinic going from the patient's language of Moskito to translator to Spanish to translator to English to medical worker and then back again!

Some have asked for my itinerary so I'll share that here. I leave Columbus, OH at 6AM Friday, February 15th. Arrive in Atlanta, GA at 7:38AM. Leave Atlanta at 9:45am and arrive in San Pedro Sula about 12:18pm. There I will meet Wes, our Rus Rus-based missionary pilot/mechanic; his daughter, Rachel; and Carlos, MAG's Director of Pastoral Ministries. We may stay over night before heading to the jungle as Wes has to shop for groceries. Once all that's done, we'll climb into the Cessna 206 and make the flight to Rus Rus where Wes' wife, Denise, will be waiting for us.

This is MAG's Cessna 206 we'll be flying in ("19 Zulu")

I don't know for sure what day Wes will fly me out of Rus Rus, but my fight home from San Pedro Sula, Honduras is on March 1st leaving at 1:33pm via Delta Air. I don't get back to Columbus until 11:38pm.

Thank you for praying for me as I prepare and go! God is answering and I am excited to go where He is leading! Pray for Keith as well. Maybe he'll sell the house while I'm gone and we'll be ready to find our home in NC!

Prayer:
-For good health
-For flights to be on time and go smoothly so all connections can be made
-For wisdom and grace for every situation that arises
-That my luggage will arrive with me
-That in every situation I would be a good testimony to our Father